Brief History of the Busselton Dunsborough Volunteers

2001 was chosen by the United Nations as the International Year of the Volunteer and was embraced Australia wide.

The Shire of Busselton as part of its commitment to supporting the International Year of the Volunteer facilitated a number of meetings in 2000, to plan events and initiatives. During this process the need for a locally based Volunteer Centre was identified and a working party was formed to pursue the idea.

This working party was made up of hard working and dedicated people committed to fostering and promoting volunteering in the community.

The working party examined the feasibility of establishing a Volunteer Centre and identified three main functions of a Volunteer Centre:

  • Supporting community organisations already using Volunteers, or considering using Volunteers in the areas of recruitment of Volunteers, training of Volunteers, developing Volunteer policy & procedures and supporting those managing Volunteers.
  • Assisting individuals seeking voluntary work by referring them to appropriate organisations.
  • Promoting the value of Volunteering and Volunteerism in the community.

As part of this process the working party initiated a survey of organisations in the Busselton/Dunsborough region with the responses indicating that a volunteer resource centre would be of benefit to our community and would be supported by them.

In August 2002 the Department for Community Development offered timely and much needed financial support and Busselton Dunsborough Environment Centre (BDEC) generously offered to auspice the volunteer centre and DCD accepted this arrangement.

Busselton Dunsborough Volunteers opened its doors to the public on 28 June 2003 and has experienced steady growth since. Busselton Dunsborough Volunteers looks forward assisting volunteers, agencies which use volunteers, and volunteering in our community for many years to come.

manWant to place an event on our calendar? - Contact us at: volunteers@westnet.com.au - Phone: 9754 2047

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